John Piper has some valuable reflections about the Florida pastor who burned the Qur’an and the violent response in the Middle East. He writes: “The burning of the Qur’an and the murder of human beings are not morally equivalent. That’s true. And it is, frankly, outrageous the way some commentators speak with more moral indignation about the burning of holy books than the butchery of human bodies. In the western media this seems to me to be sheer fear.”
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KJB – The Book That Changed the World
If you haven’t seen it yet, there is a new documentary out on the making of the King James Version of the Bible. It is narrated by John Rhys Davies, and it looks really fascinating. The video is linked above.
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An Atheist on Gender Neutral Bibles
Christopher Hitchens has high praise for the King James Bible in the latest issue of Vanity Fair. This year is the 400th anniversary of the KJV, and Hitchens makes the case for the superiority of the King James Bible over all comers. In one section of the essay, Hitchens takes umbrage with gender neutral language in modern versions. In particular, he criticizes the Contemporary English Version’s use of “my friends” in place of the KJV’s “brethren.” He writes: “Pancake-flat: suited perhaps to a basement meeting of A.A., these words could not hope to penetrate the torpid, resistant fog in the mind of a 16-year-old boy, as their original had done…
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Bell Says He’s Been Slandered
In an emotional interview with Sally Quinn, Rob Bell says that he has been misunderstood and slandered. There is much that could be said in response to this accusation. I think Quinn followed-up with the most obvious response. In what way does he feel misrepresented and slandered? Bell’s answers, however, really miss the mark in my view. First, he sort of alleges that his critics are accusing him of not being a “serious follower of Jesus.” I don’t know anyone who is saying that he is not a serious follower of his version of Jesus. Second, he suggests that his critics don’t understand that he is simply trying to present…
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Embarrassed about the Bible?
In a recent article for First Things, Gerald McDermott writes about the reluctance of some evangelical scholars to identify with their own tradition: “Evangelical theologians, like other orthodox thinkers, are susceptible to the peculiarly academic sort of ambition that seeks acceptance and recognition by their liberal colleagues. We want the academy’s approval, and so we are tempted to write and teach a theology that will be consistent with its moral and theological sensibilities.”
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Sexting Epidemic
“One day last winter Margarite posed naked before her bathroom mirror, held up her cellphone and took a picture. Then she sent the full-length frontal photo to Isaiah, her new boyfriend. “Both were in eighth grade. “They broke up soon after. A few weeks later, Isaiah forwarded the photo to another eighth-grade girl, once a friend of Margarite’s. Around 11 o’clock at night, that girl slapped a text message on it… Then she clicked open the long list of contacts on her phone and pressed ‘send.’ “In less than 24 hours, the effect was as if Margarite, 14, had sauntered naked down the hallways of the four middle schools… Hundreds,…
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What are we doing in Libya?
In case you haven’t heard, the United States has begun a third war in the Middle East. President Obama will address the nation tonight to explain why he has led the United States into the Libyan civil war. On this topic, I think Ross Douthat is on the right track in his column today for The New York Times. He poses four questions that President Obama needs to answer in his address to the nation. 1. What are our military objectives? 2. Who exactly are the rebels? 3. Can we really hand off this mission? 4. Is Libya distracting us from more pressing American interests? These aren’t pedantic questions, especially…
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On Doctrinal Controversy
I just read another blog post by someone who is grieved by the response to Rob Bell’s book Love Wins. The complaint is that people aren’t giving Bell a fair hearing and that we all need to be a little bit more humble about our theological commitments. The post is one among many sounding a similar theme. There just seems to be the idea abroad that all doctrinal controversy is unchristlike and unhelpful to the kingdom. With respect to the Bell controversy in particular, folks are saying that the tone has been too shrill and divisive before a watching world.
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Rob Bell, what if you’re wrong?
Sally Quinn of The Washington Post asks Rob Bell what’s at stake if he’s wrong about hell. She also asks, “If there’s no hell, then why did Jesus die for our sins?”
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New Sovereign Grace Album
Sovereign Grace Music has just released a new worship album titled “Risen.” Here’s what C. J. Mahaney says about the project: “In time for our upcoming celebration of Easter, the newest Sovereign Grace Music album was released yesterday: Risen. “What I love about this album—what I love about all the albums produced by Sovereign Grace Music—is the gospel-centered sound doctrine that informs the lyrics. Here in these 13 songs our hearts and affections are focused on the resurrection of our Savior, where God the Father publicly demonstrated his satisfaction with the Son’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins and where our hope of future resurrection finds its guarantee.” “Risen”…